Cincinnati Poetry Month Daily: A Poem for Opening Day by Emery Greye

It’s Opening Day, Poetry People! You didn’t think I’d miss that, did you? Here is a poem (a version with photos is at the bottom of the screen) by writer, poet, and inspirational speaker Emery Greye of Madisonville that captures the wonder of baseball and spring. He told me he wrote it for his grandson. Lucky grandson!

Another Magical Spring

When I was a just little boy
I couldn’t wait for spring
I’d oil my mitt, the sun would shine
And all the birds would sing

And for fifty years of winter ends
The ice and snow would melt
We’d grab for balls and bats each day
I still remember how great it felt

We had a diamond built next door
We’d race to pick our teams
And play all day till dinner time
At least that’s how it seemed

The shed in left was a two base hit
If you flew it, a homerun
The fence in center was Portman’s farm
But you had to hit that ball a ton

And on Sundays after church we’d meet
And do the ground crews duty
We’d mow the base path grass so tight
Our field was such a beauty

I’ve played or coached now fifty years
Still can’t wait to hear that call
Two words that start another spring
When the umpire yells “Play Ball”

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Author: Pauletta Hansel

Pauletta Hansel is a poet, memorist, teacher and editor. On April 15, 2016 she was named Cincinnati's first Poet Laureate. Pauletta is author of five poetry collections, Tangle (Dos Madres Press, 2015), The Lives We Live in Houses (Wind Publications, 2011), What I Did There (Dos Madres Press, 2011), First Person (Dos Madres Press, 2007) and Divining (WovenWord Press, 2002). Her poetry has been featured recently in journals including Talisman, Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Appalachian Journal, Atlanta Review, Postcards Poems and Prose and Still: The Journal, and anthologized in Listen Here: Women Writing in Appalachia; Motif: Come What May; and Motif: All the Livelong Day. Pauletta leads community poetry workshops and retreats in the Greater Cincinnati area and beyond, and has served as Writer-in Residence at Thomas More College in her native Kentucky. She is a co-editor of Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, the literary publication of Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative. Pauletta received her MFA from Queens University of Charlotte.
View all posts by Pauletta Hansel